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fisherman

American  
[fish-er-muhn] / ˈfɪʃ ər mən /

noun

plural

fishermen

  1. a person who fishes, whether for profit or pleasure.

  2. a ship used in fishing.

adjective

  1. Knitting. Also fisherman's of, relating to, or designating a knitting pattern consisting primarily of cable-stitches executed in a characteristically thick, traditionally off-white yarn, or a garment made in this pattern and yarn.

    a fisherman sweater.
fisherman British  
/ ˈfɪʃəmən /

noun

  1. a person who fishes as a profession or for sport

  2. a vessel used for fishing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of fisherman

1400–50; late Middle English fissherman; see fisher, -man

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Yet local fisherman in Kiribati will see a catch decrease under both high and low emission scenarios, according to the Pacific Community.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

A fisherman packed up his rods next to a family picnicking on the waterfront.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

The fisherman was bruised but not particularly surprised.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

‘We’re living the simple life’: I was a fisherman and my wife was a nurse.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

I sat on the edge of the tub like I used to, like a fisherman sitting on the edge of his boat, waiting for something good to bite the line.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.